1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved building press or jig whereby multiple building components, including truss members, can be joined simultaneously by application of fluid pressure such as air, through several hydraulic cylinders or through an expandable hose. The building press consists of a fixed frame having at least one movable hammer, between which frame and hammer is placed a fluid conduit or hose, or several air, steam or hydraulic cylinders. Nails, nail plates or other suitable fasteners can then be positioned in selected locations on the hammer or hammers, the hose pressured with fluid (preferably water) or the hydraulic cylinders activated, and the fasteners thereby driven into the building components at selected locations. For example, an entire wall section of selected length, or the interior or exterior wall section for a completed building, as well as truss members for a roof section may be assembled in the frame or jig and fastened together simultaneously and automatically, if desired, by the turn of a lever by application of fluid pressure and utilization of the building press of this invention. Roof trusses may also be manufactured singularly, or several trusses built simultaneously with only one squeeze of the press.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, the primary method of joining building components has been by nailing, with each joint nailed separately by hand. This procedure has been modified to some extent in recent years by placing the component parts in a jig or tight frame and nailing the parts together with hammer and nail or with pneumatic guns. Some housing components such as roof trusses are manufactured by pressing flat steel plates with attached protrusions such as nails into the wood where the material is to be joined. This has been accomplished by truss rollers and pneumatic guns positioned to each joint and the steel plate squeezed into the wood one at a time or simultaneously with a group of pneumatic guns, each positioned at a specific joint. In the latter case where "gang" nails are used, the nailing must still be accomplished for the most part by hand, or with hand operated pneumatic guns, or in the alternative, by complicated equipment designed to place considerable pressure at specifically designated points on the component parts of the truss or other member to achieve a tight fit. Pneumatic guns are constantly breaking down or running out of fasteners, which slows the production and truss rollers are slow and waive quality control. Accordingly, such techniques are characterized by high expense and expenditure of a large amount of time, whether the structure being built is assembled piecemeal by a carpenter or by use of "gang" nail procedures. In the former case, the carpenter must nail each joint individually, by hand, and each piece must be cut separately to fit, thereby resulting in a large expenditure of time and money with no real assurance that the component parts will be fitted to a high tolerance.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved mechanism for constructing wall and truss sections and other construction component assemblies where multiple joints must be joined together.
Another object of this invention is to provide a building press for joining construction components for houses, buildings and other structures, which is simple in design, inexpensive to set up, and may be specifically designed for joining substantially all component parts in a desired fabrication.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved building press or jig whereby the component parts of a structure such as a truss section may be fabricated by means of water, air or other fluid pressure applied through a conduit or hose or several air, steam or hydraulic cylinders in the jig.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for constructing the component parts of a structure which includes the use of a frame having a fixed and movable portion and applying fluid pressure through a hose or several air, steam or hydraulic cylinders located between the fixed and movable portions of the frame to drive nails or other fasteners into the component parts in the fabricating process.